Chicago-Indianapolis

1. Chuan Spa at the Langham Chicago

Chicago: Facials330 N. Wabash Ave., 312-923-7650
Regular price: $300–$325 for 80 minutesInStyle deal: $240–$260
2014 InStyle Beauty Black Book PickBook an Appointment
The second you enter this feng shui–friendly environment filled with skyline views, you’ll feel a million miles away from the bustling Windy City. Enjoy the Salt Stone Sauna or an Aromatherapy Shower before starting your HydraFacial. After your service, disappear into the Dream Room, complete with futuristic lounge chairs that emit soft aromas, soothing music, and gentle vibrations.Mention InStyle when booking to receive 20 percent off the price of the service with the pro mentioned, when applicable. The discount is valid for one visit per person per location in October 2014 and applies to the specific service mentioned in each review.

4. The Spa at Glenmere Mansion

Chester, N.Y.: Massage634 Pine Hill Rd., 845-469-1939
2012 InStyle Beauty Black Book PickBook an Appointment
Hidden in the Hudson Valley is Glenmere Mansion, a hilltop hotel with 18 guest rooms. But a day trip is all you need to experience the indulgent Journey to Shambhala bath and massage ritual. (Note: Bring a swimsuit.) A massage therapist guides you through the 150-minute service inside the luxe bathhouse ending with a 60-minute massage sure to leave you tension-free.

7. George The Salon

Chicago: Haircuts23 W. Hubbard, Fourth Floor, 312-923-9444
2013 InStyle Beauty Black Book PickBook an Appointment
Salon director and stylist George Gonzalez told our tester (in a nice way, of course) that her long hair was weighing down her face. The remedy? Gonzalez cuts the length of the hair when wet, crafting face-framing layers for a volume-boosting effect. Once hair is dry, he pulls out interior layers, weaving them through his fingers to expose and snip dead, damaged ends for a smooth, healthy finish.

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8. Leah Chavie Skincare

Chicago: Facials2500 N. Halsted St., 773-327-7051
2013 InStyle Beauty Black Book PickBook an Appointment
Painted seafoam green with crisp white accents, the soothing space was where our reporter experienced the popular Repechage Reveal and Renew facial, featuring a glycolic peel that exfoliates and evens skin tone without stinging. After a calming (and seriously hydrating) seaweed mask, skin was so “soft, rosy, and radiant,” said our tester, that there was no need for makeup.

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9. Lanphier Day Spa & salon

Darien, Conn.: Facials20 West Ave., 203-656-4444
2013 InStyle Beauty Black Book PickBook an Appointment
The first U.S. spa by Decleor, the luxe French skin-care company known for products infused with natural extracts, earns a round of applause for its “gentle and pampering” facials. The Aroma Essential treatment left skin “beyond dewy for two days.” All facialists are trained to use specific circular strokes and light pinching motions to work products deep into the pores, a technique that’s close to hypnotic. “I could have fallen asleep—it was that relaxing,” said our reporter.

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10. Dear Clark Hair Studio

Dallas: Color3317 McKinney Ave., Suite 101, 214-397-0700
Regular price: $60–$150InStyle deal: $48–$120
2014 InStyle Beauty Black Book PickBook an Appointment
Pro Tara Genger gave our tester the solution for mousy-brown roots and overgrown, faded streaks: caramel-colored highlights. “Every third foil, she added a lighter hue to create a summery pop,” says our tester. The fresh look “exceeded my expectations, which was a relief since it was just two days before my wedding!”Mention InStyle when booking to receive 20 percent off the price of the service with the pro mentioned, when applicable. The discount is valid for one visit per person per location in October 2014 and applies to the specific service mentioned in each review.

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11. Blushington

Dallas: Makeup4218 Oak Lawn Ave., 214-521-9200
2013 InStyle Beauty Black Book PickBook an Appointment
Come and be dazzled by this makeup nirvana, with 10 vanities where pros paint your face using cool brands like Becca, Kevyn Aucoin, and Stila. Six suggested looks, from the sunkissed Simply Glowing to the provocative Cutting Edge, offer ways to switch it up for day and night. Makeup artists may start out by plumping up your skin with hydrating cucumber toning mist and Embryoderme vitamin-infused moisturizer ($42; embryolisseusa.com).

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12. Pampered Soles

Dallas: Nails5210 W. Lovers Lane, 214-358-0006
2013 InStyle Beauty Black Book PickBook an Appointment
This Texas salon offers a sublime $50 pedicure. Along with buffing, trimming, filing, and polishing toenails with precision, the service includes a skin-softening paraffin treatment and a 15-minute hot-stone leg and foot massage that hit “all the key pressure points and used rhythmic patterns to loosen up the tightness in my calves,” said our tester.

14. Renée Rouleau

Dallas: Facials1722 Routh St., 214-735-4364
2013 InStyle Beauty Black Book PickBook an Appointment
You won’t find generic cleanse-scrub-hydrate facials offered at this skincare clinic. Here, it’s all about highly personalized treatments created to cater to nine complexion profiles. A detailed consultation includes photos snapped in UV light to evaluate your level of sun damage. Plus, the treatment included a $75 coupon to purchase Renee Rouleau products at the end of the appointment. Score!

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15. Spa Lucé

Davenport, Iowa: Nails200 E. Third St., 563-326-5823
2012 InStyle Beauty Black Book PickBook an Appointment
This state-of-the-art spa offers an array of indulgent treatments—from the energizing and anti-aging Citrus Manicure (incorporating a firming peptide hand mask) to the fast Nail Refresher (a $12 polish change that’ll have you out the door in just 15 minutes). And these looks last: Our tester had chip-free digits for a week!

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16. The Spa at the Four Seasons Hotel

Denver: Massages1111 14th St., 303-389-3020
2013 InStyle Beauty Black Book PickBook an Appointment
“Glowing and decompressed” is how our tester felt after being treated to the spa’s Signature Four-Handed Massage, in which two sets of expert hands knead and rub in unison. The one-hour treatment employs the Swedish technique (medium pressure and long, gliding strokes), as well as unscented or herb-infused oils to deliver a state of sheer bliss.

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17. Ted Gibson at Ft. Lauderdale

Ft. Lauderdale: Haircut401 N. Ft. Lauderdale Beach Blvd., 954-414-8343
2012 InStyle Beauty Black Book PickBook an Appointment
Dreaming of a hair makeover from the celebrity pro on TLC’s What Not to Wear? That’ll be $950 at Gibson’s sleek salon, where he snips strands a few days every four months. For a more ATM-friendly visit, book with stylist Katie Lisowski; she’ll craft sexy layers light enough to bounce in the So-Flo breeze.

18. Christopher Noland Salon & Beauty Spa

Greenwich, Conn.: Color124 Greenwich Ave., 203-622-4247
Regular price: $90–$265InStyle deal: $72–$212
2014 InStyle Beauty Black Book PickBook an Appointment
Colorist Quinn Carroll spent pregame time chatting with our tester about the precise tone she was after. “I was still recovering from a bad set of lowlights, which had left my hair a muddy brown,” says our tester. Quinn suggested sticking to just highlights to allow her base color to provide contrast.” Her finished hue, “a pale version inspired by Karolina Kurkova’s,” says our tester, “was exactly what I wanted and really flattered my fair complexion.”Mention InStyle when booking to receive 20 percent off the price of the service with the pro mentioned, when applicable. The discount is valid for one visit per person per location in October 2014 and applies to the specific service mentioned in each review.

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19. Hopscotch

Greenwich, Conn.: Haircut10 Railroad Ave.203-661-0107
2013 InStyle Beauty Black Book PickBook an Appointment
At this wood-lined, industrial-chic salon that excels in precision haircutting, stylist Karina Lambert delivered a graduated bob with sharp angles and volume, cutting wet hair with scissors for definition, then using a razor when hair was dry to add texture. Even days later the layers fell just so, without the help of a single product!

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20. the v spot nail SPA

Hoboken, N.J.: Nails159 14th St., 201-683-8760
2013 InStyle Beauty Black Book PickBook an Appointment
This sweet neighborhood find, made super-cozy by big, cushy pedi-station chairs, offers more pampering for the price, including hot stone foot and calf massages. Can’t decide on a shade? Ask owner Vivian Rivera. She’s full of enthusiastic suggestions and can rattle off ideas on layering specific colors to suit requests like “I want something bright but not too pink.” And her expert painting kept those toesies chip-free for almost two weeks.

Up Next:

Chuan Spa at the Langham Chicago

Chicago: Facials330 N. Wabash Ave., 312-923-7650
Regular price: $300–$325 for 80 minutesInStyle deal: $240–$260
2014 InStyle Beauty Black Book PickBook an Appointment
The second you enter this feng shui–friendly environment filled with skyline views, you’ll feel a million miles away from the bustling Windy City. Enjoy the Salt Stone Sauna or an Aromatherapy Shower before starting your HydraFacial. After your service, disappear into the Dream Room, complete with futuristic lounge chairs that emit soft aromas, soothing music, and gentle vibrations.Mention InStyle when booking to receive 20 percent off the price of the service with the pro mentioned, when applicable. The discount is valid for one visit per person per location in October 2014 and applies to the specific service mentioned in each review.